Mash Central endorses Kasukuwere, Mafios petition

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial executive yesterday met and endorsed a petition calling for the expulsion of provincial chairman Cde Dickson Mafios and his brother Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, who is the party’s national political commissar, from the party.

The provincial executive also heard that Cde Mafios and his secretary Ms Rutendo Nyamangara ransacked party offices in Bindura on Monday where they got away with property worth thousands of dollars.

Police yesterday confirmed that the party enlisted their services to recover the property, including computers, printing machines and photocopying machines.

The provincial executive’s meeting followed a demonstration by Zanu-PF members in Bindura on Monday, where they expressed loss of confidence in the leadership of Cdes Kasukuwere and Mafios.

“Yes, we met today to read out to the provincial executive the grievances outlined in the petition that was handed to the party’s leadership on Monday,” he said. “The province discussed the petition and agreed that it must be sent to the people it is addressed to, that is the President, the Politburo and the Central Committee.

“The petition was unanimously endorsed in its entirety. Our quorum was properly constituted and now we have to forward the petition to the national leadership.”

Among other charges outlined in the petition, Cdes Kasukuwere and Mafios were accused of corruption, disrespecting the party leadership, setting up parallel structures and fanning factionalism.

“The executive also heard that several party properties were removed from the party offices,” said Cde Kazembe. “Some of the computers were recovered by the police at Ms Nyamangara’s house. A lot of property is still missing and the police are still making efforts to recover it. The motive behind that move is not yet known.”

Although Cde Kazembe said the motive was still not known, it was widely suspected that some of the property such as computers contained vital information that could be used to press criminal charges against Cde Mafios.

Provincial members who participated in Monday’s demonstration accused Cde Mafios of diverting at least $96 000 after selling party cards, and information relating to that matter is believed to be contained in some of the missing computers.

After being questioned over the money, it is understood that Cde Mafios said the matter was referred to the party’s national leadership and from there it died a natural death.

The police were accompanied by Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial secretary Cde Monica Mavhunga to recover some of the computers at Ms Nyamangara’s house.

Police chief spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said: “Yes, Officer-in-Charge Bindura accompanied party members to go and recover the computers, but their explanation (Mafios and the secretary) was that they removed the computers for safekeeping after receiving reports that there was going to be a demonstration at the party offices.

“No formal report was made to the police relating to the missing property and the police were only asked to accompany the party members.”

It is understood that Cde Mafios left the party offices without notice on Monday after receiving news that party supporters were coming to demonstrate against him and his brother.